Restif de la Bretonne (Nicolas Edme dit) - Lot 12

Restif de la Bretonne (Nicolas Edme dit) Les Contemporaines, ou avantures des plus jolies femmes de l'âge présent ; recueillies par N.-E.R** D*-L*-B*** ; et publiées par Timothée Joly de Lyon, dépositaire de ses manuscrits. Second edition. Printed in Leipsick, by Büschel, merchant bookseller, and found in Paris, by the widow Duchesne 1781/1792. 42 volumes in-12, bound à la Bradel, in blue half-percaline with corners, smooth spines with red basane title-piece. Untrimmed copy, bound in the 19th century, with all blue marbled paper covers preserved. A complete collation of the three series of this monument to 18th-century literature, complete with 283 full-page plates, including 9 fold-outs, drawn by Binet under Restif's direction. The engravings in the last 4 volumes are before the letter. A few small tears in the margins, not missing, and a few scattered freckles. The great majority of the engravings are well contrasted, the others of a weaker inking. Minor defects to some title-pieces. The first two series are second editions, ranging from 1781 for volume 1 to 1792 for volume 30. The last series is an original edition, as there was no other edition; volume 31 is dated 1783 and volume 42 ends in 1785. Restif de la Bretonne put his ideas, obsessions, fantasies and feminine pantheon into this narrative monument. He also included tales, songs, playlets, the language of the world and of the people, all the forms of expression that were dear to him (Pierre Testud at Honoré Champion). Hard-to-find complete set. From the sale of the bookseller Lucien Gougy, (cat. II, 1934, N° 949).